This invention relates generally to protective devices and, more specifically, to a thumb protector for protecting the thumb of a person""s hand from trauma that may occur during dangerous activity, such as hammering or drilling.
When using a hammer, it is often necessary to hold a nail in place at the initial stage of hammering. Holding the nail in place and keeping it steady often requires gripping the nail between the thumb and the index finger. During this initial stage of hammering, when the nail is not completely secure in place, the hammer can glance off of the unsteady nail and strike the thumb or index finger. This can cause serious injury and, of course, be very painful. To combat with less force when holding the nail in place. Work gloves are often made of leather, however, and therefore generally only protect the wearer from extremely light trauma. Although somewhat deadening the blow, work gloves will not prevent the injury to a thumb that can result from being struck by a hammer. Trying to hammer with less force is also not a complete solution since it is often necessary to use a substantial amount of force to initially drive the nail into a surface. Additionally, a hammer, even one swung at less than full force, is capable of causing injury if it strikes the thumb.
A need therefore existed for a thumb protector capable of being fitted over a thumb of a person and dimensioned to be sufficiently sturdy so as to protect the thumb from sustaining trauma when struck by a hammer while at the same time allowing the thumb the flexibility to bend at the joint.
An object of the present invention is to provide a thumb protector capable of fitting over a thumb of a person and dimensioned to be sufficiently sturdy so as to protect a thumb of a person from being injured by a blow of a hammer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thumb protector capable of fitting over thumbs of various lengths.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a thumb protector is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a base sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a proximal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate a joint area of the thumb, the base sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the proximal segment of the thumb from being injured when the base sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, a tip sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a digital segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate the joint area of the thumb and the front portion is proximate a fingernail area of the thumb, the tip sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the distal segment of the thumb from being injured when the tip sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, and a connector having a first end and a second end and coupled at the first end to the open front portion of the base sleeve and coupled at the second end to the open rear portion of the tip sleeve and the connector is dimensioned to fit over the joint area of the thumb, the connector is dimensioned to be flexible so as to permit the joint area of the thumb to bend.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for protecting a thumb is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing a base sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a proximal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate a joint area of the thumb, the base sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the proximal segment of the thumb from being injured when the base sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, providing a tip sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a distal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate the joint area of the thumb and the front portion is proximate a fingernail area of the thumb, the tip sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the distal segment of the thumb from being injured when the tip sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, providing a connector having a first end and a second end and coupled at the first end to the open front portion of the base sleeve and coupled at the second end to the open rear portion of the tip sleeve and the connector is dimensioned to fit over a joint area of the thumb, the connector is dimensioned to be flexible so as to permit the joint area of the thumb to bend, and fitting the base sleeve over the proximal segment of the thumb so that the rear portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate the joint area of the thumb and the tip sleeve covers the distal segment of the thumb.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.